Report: Story of disfigured girl asked to leave KFC is hoax

The story of a disfigured 3-year-old girl being asked to leave a Jackson, Miss., KFC because she was scaring other customers is a hoax, the Laurel Leader-Call in Mississippi reported Monday.

The story swept the nation and generated an outpouring of sympathy, gifts, donations and offers of free plastic surgery for little Victoria Wilcher, who the family said was mauled by dogs. The Leader-Call is citing “sources with deep knowledge of the investigation” who “spoke on the condition of strict anonymity because they were not permitted to speak on the record.”

After the story went viral, KFC offered the family $30,000 to help with medical bills.

The newspaper says a third-party mediator has been investigating the family’s claim. Read more here.